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Dharma Talks
2007-11-02 What Are We Doing Here And Why? 53:03
Sally Armstrong
This talk is about understanding what mindfulness is and why it is helpful to practice it
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 2

2007-11-02 Cultivating the Collected Mind 33:46
Christina Feldman
Gaia House Solitary Month Retreat

2007-11-01 Buddhist Master Series: Ajahn Chah 2:10
James Baraz
Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley

2007-11-01 Relationship 29:31
Mary Grace Orr
Insight Santa Cruz

2007-11-01 Right Attitude 31:28
Guy Armstrong
As we develop awareness of the objects of our experience, it is also important to be aware of our attitude to them. Is there greed, aversion or delusion; or is there non-greed, non-aversion or non-delusion?
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 2

2007-10-31 Stress, Wakeful Relaxation And Freedom 1:11:20
Tara Brach
We are designed to respond to stress with flight/fight/freeze and this can proliferate and then harden into our ongoing response to life. The practice of presence, of recognizing and relaxing with what is arising, can cut through this conditioning and gift us with the realization of our true nature and the capacity to love fully.
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC IMCW Wednesday Evening Talks

2007-10-31 Discovering the Awakening Factor of Energy 54:47
Mark Nunberg
Dharma Talk
Common Ground Meditation Center

2007-10-31 Practicing With Thoughts And Emotions 61:22
Donald Rothberg
Mindfulness of thoughts and emotions gives us one of our great resources for applying our practice in daily life -- in the midst of work, relationships, and family. Here we explore some general qualities of mindfulness, then explore the guidelines of "RAIN" -- recognition, acceptance, inquiry and non-identification -- applying this approach to the experiencing of anger. Next week we explore skillful action with thoughts and emotions.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center

2007-10-31 Joseph's Dharma Story - part 1 61:16
Joseph Goldstein
Joseph's Dharma Story
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1

2007-10-30 Compassion 59:00
Carol Wilson
The understanding of emptiness manifests in our experience as the intention of compassion. One way that compassion develops is through meeting our own physical and mental suffering with kind awareness.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge October 2007 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2007-10-29 Quiet The Mind, Open The Heart 69:27
Jack Kornfield
The essence of meditation is a shift of identity and awakening of compassion.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2007-10-28 Student Themes & Talk 47:14
Eugene Cash
San Francisco Insight Meditation Community

2007-10-27 Spirit of the Path 34:07
Leela Sarti
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-27 Spirit of the Path 51:51
Leela Sarti
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-26 Supporting And Deepening Daily Life Practice 53:25
Donald Rothberg
Practicing mindfulness and metta in the United States is definitely challenging for a variety of reasons which are explored briefly. We outline a number of basic supports for practice (daily practice, community, study, etc. ) and then focus on four main ways of deepening daily life practice - (1) Finding regular ways to break habits, (2)Working with a mentor or teacher, (3) Grounding in the body, and (4) Learning to take obstacles and suffering as opportunities. (note: There is a 15 minute gap about 11 minutes into this talk and cuts out again at 53 minutes, due to technical difficulties.)
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Cultivating Clear Seeing, Opening the Heart

2007-10-26 #7 Self & Society 59:18
Stephen Batchelor
A consideration of the Buddhist understanding of self as a process, based on passages from the Pali Canon. A critique of "perfection" as the aim of the teachings, based on the understanding of "freedom" as found in the Padhana Sutta. Followed by a reflection on the Buddha's SOCIAL VISION. This leads to comments on the nature of Buddhism itself as a religious institution, and concludes with a call for a CULTURE OF AWAKENING in a secular world.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-26 The Tenderness Of Compassion 49:25
Sharda Rogell
What is compassion and how do we open to our compassionate heart? And as we let GO OF our self interest AND demands ON LIFE TO BE THE WAY WE WANT IT TO BE and turn toward our own pain and other's pain, compassion can awaken in our hearts.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-26 The Protective Power Of The Dharma 66:16
Ariya B. Baumann
The Dhamma offers protection in various ways for those who follow and practice the Dharma.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge October 2007 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2007-10-26 The Way Things Are 59:34
Yanai Postelnik
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-26 The Way Things Are 59:34
Yanai Postelnik
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-25 Invoking The Beautiful - The Divine Abodes Of Lovingkindness 66:19
Donald Rothberg
There are two main approaches in our practice - mindfulness and invoking beautiful and exalted states. They complement each other in important ways. After considering these two approaches, we explore the nature of each of the divine abodes, their near and far enemies, and their complementary nature - each requires the other three for its mature development.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Cultivating Clear Seeing, Opening the Heart

2007-10-25 #6 God & Buddhanature 57:15
Stephen Batchelor
A study of the Buddha's understanding of God (Brahma) as found in texts of the Pali Canon. The Buddha was an ironic ATHEIST, who did not take a fanatic position against God. This is followed by a reflection on the idea of BUDDHANATURE, starting with its origins in the Pali Canon and seeing how it evolves in later Buddhist thought in ways that both complement and contradict the early tradition.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-25 Awakening Or Enlightenment: Sudden Or Gradual 44:49
Martine Batchelor
Awakening as a process of degrasping instead of being the production of a state of enlightenment that cannot be eaten in salad. The suggestion that the path consists of sudden awakening followed by gradual practices
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-25 A Question Of Control 38:59
Ajahn Sucitto
Cittaviveka Group Retreat

2007-10-24 Strengthening the Awakening Factor of Investigation 55:17
Mark Nunberg
Dharma Talk
Common Ground Meditation Center

2007-10-24 The Hindrances- An Introduction 62:55
Richard Shankman
East Bay Insight Meditation Community

2007-10-24 Living A Life Of Dharma Inquiry 54:42
Myoshin Kelley
Meditation need not be limited to a practice that one can only do a on the cushion. When we bring the passion for truth to the center of our lives, it opens up every moment to be a moment of knowing truth.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1

2007-10-24 Wisdom 56:52
Donald Rothberg
How do we live and act wisely, whether in our meditation practice or in the rest of our lives? The core of our practice is to come back to wisdom moment-to-moment. The main teaching on wisdom that can guide us is the Four Noble Truths. We explore this teaching as a practical guide, requiring an understanding of causes and conditions. Yet wisdom ultimately must also be connected to to two further qualities to be whole - to compassion, and to courage.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Cultivating Clear Seeing, Opening the Heart

2007-10-24 #5 The Undeclared & The Declared 58:37
Stephen Batchelor
A reflection on the nature of KAMMA in which the Buddha recognises that numerous conditions are responsible for our experience in this life. This is followed by an analysis of the ten UNDECLARED questions (is the world eternal, etc.) in terms of the Buddhist rejection of metaphysics in favour a pragmatic and therapeutic approach to living life in this world here and now.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-24 Breaking Free Of Habits 50:16
Martine Batchelor
How can meditation help us break free of our mental, emotional, physical habits?
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-24 Completion of Birth 55:06
Leela Sarti
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-24 Practice In Accordance With Dhamma 35:05
Ajahn Sucitto
Cittaviveka Group Retreat

2007-10-23 A Moving Balance 2:01:01
Ajahn Sucitto
This is a collection of 9 of Ajahn's earlier dharmaseed files from 2007 to 2021, that give instructions and encouragement on walking meditation. They have been selected to support a book by Ajahn entitled "A Moving Balance". This and other books by Ajahn Sucitto can be downloaded here: Forest Sangha - Books - Ajahn Sucitto

2007-10-23 Karma 59:40
Joseph Goldstein
Exploring the meaning, importance and experience of karma in our everyday lives.
Insight Meditation Society - Retreat Center Three-Month Retreat - Part 1

2007-10-23 Metta And The Opening Of The Heart - How Metta Transforms Us 63:15
Donald Rothberg
Metta is generally described and set in the context of the Brahmavihara - the divine abodes. A number of stories are told illustrating the quality of metta and four ways that metta transforms us are identified - (1) We learn to lead with our hearts; (2) We develop in concentration; (3) We purify our being; and (4) We connect more fully with others.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Cultivating Clear Seeing, Opening the Heart

2007-10-23 #4 Fully Knowing Dukkha 60:07
Stephen Batchelor
An examination of the four ENNOBLING truths as a process of re9rienting one's perspective on life in a conditioned world. Fully knowing dukkha - in all its aspects - leads naturally to a falling away of craving, which culminates in moments of STOPPING, in which the path opens up, i.e., one enters the stream.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-23 Impermanence 52:25
Carol Wilson
The Buddha said that the perception of impermanence can free our minds from clinging. So why don’t we perceive this accurately?
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge October 2007 at IMS - Forest Refuge

2007-10-23 The Art of Unknowing 54:58
Yanai Postelnik
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-23 Walking Meditation 28:02
Ajahn Sucitto
Walking helps to shift energies of the mind. The movement of walking holds the mind, helping it give up its preoccupations and come into the body. Breathing in and out, taking one step at a time, the afflicted stirred up energy recedes and you feel yourself in flow. Let your mind rest in that.
Cittaviveka Group Retreat
In collection: A Moving Balance

2007-10-22 Practicing With Sates Of Mind And Heart 58:24
Donald Rothberg
After a framing of why we practice and how this intensive practice can inform our wider lives, and a short account of the qualities of mindfulness we explore how to practice in states of mind and heart. Using the model of RAIN (Recognition, Acceptance, Inquiry, Non-identification), we examine a number of ways to work with states of mind and heart, using as case studies, working with anger, judgment (harsh reactive judgment) and others.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Cultivating Clear Seeing, Opening the Heart

2007-10-22 #3 Turning The Wheel Of Dhamma 59:54
Stephen Batchelor
A reflection on the COUNTER-INTUITIVE nature of the Buddha's teaching - how the Dhamma goes against deeply seated intuition, e.g., that there is something permanent in this impermanent world. This is followed by a reading of and reflection on the first discourse the Buddha gave, which outlines the middle way and the four ennobling truths. To be followed in talk #4 by a detailed reading of the four truths as four injunctions rather than four things to believe.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-22 Creative Engagement 47:15
Martine Batchelor
Grasping and non-grasping in connection to self, people, things, views - how grasping makes us exaggerate and proliferate and how creative engagement can help our creative potential manifest and develop.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-22 The Dharma Of Community Development 1:11:57
Jack Kornfield
The Dharma of community, the spirit of generosity and the development of love and care between humans.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Monday and Wednesday Talks

2007-10-22 Why Do I Meditate? 46:37
Leela Sarti
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-22 Benefits of Meditation 46:37
Leela Sarti
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-21 The Five Difficult Energies 65:12
Donald Rothberg
We sometimes feel very connected with our love, wisdom, and mindfulness. At other times, we may feel disconnected from these qualities, stuck in what the Buddha called the five "difficult energies" (or hindrances). We explore compulsive desire and aversion, sloth & torpor, restlessness, and doubt - suggesting how to respond to these when they arise, both in meditation and daily life.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Cultivating Clear Seeing, Opening the Heart

2007-10-21 #2 Going Against The Stream 56:31
Stephen Batchelor
A continuation of the study of the Buddha's account of his awakening in the ARIYAPARIYESANA SUTTA (M.26). Mindfulness as the way to GROUND oneself in the GROUND of Conditional Arising. the subjective pole of this ground is the stopping of greed, hatred, delusion. The Buddha was reluctant to teach because what he had awoken to "WENT AGAINST THE STREAM". The talk concludes with several passages from the UPANISHADS to illustrate this.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-21 Equanimity And Mindfulness Of Body 50:57
Sharda Rogell
Mindfulness in body as ground will help us to deal with our physical and emotional feelings in a non-reactive way. What does equanimity truly mean in dealing with difficult feelings.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Meditation and Study Retreat

2007-10-21 Goodness and Presence 49:12
Yanai Postelnik
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

2007-10-21 Instructions and Guided Meditation of Awareness of Standing and Breathing 46:43
Yanai Postelnik
Gaia House The Heart Of Wisdom And Compassion

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